The Hampton Theatre Company will open its 2025–26 season with the sharp-witted comedy “The Thanksgiving Play” by Larissa FastHorse, running October 16 through November 2 at Quogue Community Hall.
Directed by Mary Powers, the production launches HTC’s new “Celebrating Women in Theatre” initiative — a three-season commitment to presenting plays written and directed by women. The initiative is supported by a grant from a private charitable foundation.
“The Thanksgiving Play” delivers biting satire on cultural appropriation, political correctness and historical amnesia. The plot follows a group of well-meaning educators attempting to create an inclusive Thanksgiving school pageant, only to see their plans unravel in hilariously misguided fashion.
The New York Times called the show “an uproarious comedy that also serves as a much-needed critique of American holiday traditions,” while Time Out New York praised its “humor and hard truths.”
FastHorse, a citizen of the Sicangu Lakota Nation, became the first female Indigenous playwright produced on Broadway with this work. Her plays are known for mixing sharp humor with incisive social commentary, especially on Indigenous representation in American culture.
The cast includes HTC veterans Molly Brennan, Jason Moreland and Lindsey Sanchez, along with newcomer Scott J. Butler.
In addition to directing, Powers also designed the set. The production is produced by George Loizides, with lighting design by Sebastian Paczynski, sound and video design by Meg Sexton, and costume design by Teresa LeBrun.
Performances will be held Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7 p.m., and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. An additional Saturday matinee will take place November 1 at 2:30 p.m., preceding the regular evening show.
Post-show talkbacks with the director, cast and guest panelists will follow the October 24 and October 31 performances.
The “Celebrating Women in Theatre” initiative, formally named the Jane Stanton Project, aims to spotlight underrepresented voices in the theater industry. While HTC has previously produced plays by Tina Howe, Theresa Rebeck and Yasmina Reza, none of the company’s last three seasons included plays written by women. A similar disparity was seen across East End theaters in 2024, where only one out of 11 productions featured a female playwright.
Tickets are $40 for adults, $36 for seniors (65 and older), $25 for students (25 and under), and $30 for veterans and Native Americans. Season subscriptions for HTC’s three mainstage productions — “The Thanksgiving Play,” “I Do! I Do!” and “The 39 Steps” — are available for $110. Subscription holders may select performance dates and seats at a later time. Quogue Community Hall is at 125 Jessup Avenue in Quogue. Tickets and more information are available at hamptontheatre.org.
Staff Writer on Oct 7, 2025